#IfTheyGunnedMeDown hashtag lights up Twitter

WASHINGTON — The fatal shooting of Michael Brown, an unarmed 18-year-old, by the police in Ferguson, Missouri, has sparked protests and vigils — which ended in looting on Sunday night — but it’s also inspired an online response fueled by the depictions of young African-Americans in the media.

On Sunday night, Twitter lit up with the hashtag #IfTheyGunnedMeDown, which included photos of African-American men in their graduation gowns and military uniforms, as well as holding their young children, juxtaposed with photos of the same men in more aggressive poses. The tweets all ask variations on the same question: If I were fatally shot, which picture would be used to identify me in the media?